Camellia plant named &#39;HA351&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Camellia  plant named ‘HA351’, characterized by its sturdy upright plant habit; rapid growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; leathery dark green-colored leaves; flowering during the summer, autumn and winter; large bright red-colored semi-double flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Camellia changii X Camellia japonica.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HA351’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Camelliaplant, botanically known as Camellia changii X Camellia japonica, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘HA351’.

The new Camellia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Zhaoqing, China. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new fast-growing Camellia plants thatflower year-round and tolerate full sunlight.

The new Camellia plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted bythe Inventors in October, 2006 in Zhaoqing, China of an unnamed seedlingselection of Camellia changii, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with Camellia japonica ‘Bob Hope’, not patented, as the male, orpollen, parent. The new Camellia plant was discovered and selected bythe Inventors as a single plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled environment in Zhaoqing, China inSeptember, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Camellia plant by grafting cuttings ontoan unnamed selection of Camellia gaozhouensis, not patented, in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Zhaoqing, China since has shownthat the unique features of this new Camellia plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Camellia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such astemperature and light intensity without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘HA351’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘HA351’ as anew and distinct cultivar ofCamellia:

-   -   1. Sturdy upright plant habit.    -   2. Rapid growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance.    -   4. Leathery dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Flowering during the summer, autumn and winter.    -   6. Large bright red-colored semi-double flowers.    -   7. Good garden performance, tolerant to full sunlight        conditions.

Plants of the new Camellia differ from plants of the female parentselection primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Camellia are obovate in shape        whereas leaves of plants of the female parent selection are        lanceolate in shape.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Camellia have sparsely serrate        margins whereas leaves of plants of the female parent selection        have entire margins.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Camellia are larger than flowers        of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Camellia differ primarily from plants of the maleparent, ‘Bob Hope’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Camellia have sparsely serrate        margins whereas leaves of plants of ‘Bob Hope’ have densely        serrate margins.    -   2. Plants of the new Camellia and ‘Bob Hope’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘Bob Hope’ have purplish red-colored flowers.    -   3. Plants of the new Camellia flower multiple times during the        year whereas plants of plants of ‘Bob Hope’ flower once a year.

Plants of the new Camellia can be compared to the plants of Camellia‘Terrell Weaver’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants ofthe new Camellia differ from plants of the ‘Terrell Weaver’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Camellia have sparsely serrate        margins whereas leaves of plants of ‘Terrell Weaver’ have        densely serrate margins.    -   2. Plants of the new Camellia flower multiple times during the        year whereas plants of plants of ‘Terrell Weaver’ flower once a        year.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Camellia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Camellia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘HA351’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet are close-up view of typical vegetivestems, developing flower buds and developing flowers of ‘HA351’ .

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Zhaoqing, China in an outdoornursery during the late autumn and under cultural practices typical ofcommercial Camellia production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures averaged 22° C. and night temperatures averaged 18° C.Plants were five years old when the photographs and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Camellia changii X Camellia japonica    ‘HA351’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of            Camellia changii, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Camellia japonica ‘Bob Hope’, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By grafting cuttings onto a rootstock, an unnamed            selection of Camellia gaozhouensis, not patented.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two            months days at temperatures about 28° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About two            months days at temperatures about 8° C.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial evergreen shrub;            sturdy upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; rapid            growth rate.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about two to three            primary lateral branches each with about three to four            secondary branches; dense and bushy appearance.        -   Plant height.—About 173 cm.        -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 105 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 158 cm. Diameter:            About 7.2 mm. Internode length: About 4 cm to 5 cm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 20° to 30° from            vertical. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte; woody            with development. Color, young stems: Close to 197B; at the            internodes, close to 149D. Color, older stems: Close to            199C.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:            About 10.5 cm. Width: About 4.2 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex:            Acuminate. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Sparsely serrate. Venation            pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Texture and luster, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous; leathery; moderately glossy.            Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;            leathery; matte. Color: Developing leaves, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to N199A. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Close to N137A; venation, close to 143A; color does            not change with the seasons. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 147B; color does            not change with the seasons.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; moderately glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to            143A. Color, lower surface: Close to 147B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Semi-double rotate            flowers, flowers terminal and axillary; freely flowering            habit with usually about 62 flowers and flower buds            developing per plant; flowers face upright to outwardly to            nodding.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Camellia flower            during the summer, autumn and winter in Zhaoqing, China.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Plants maintain good flower            substance for about eight to ten days on the plant; flowers            persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flower diameter.—Large, about 12 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 6 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 2.3 cm.            Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            moderately glossy. Color: Close to 138C.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About 32 imbricate petals            arranged in numerous whorls. Length: About 5.8 cm. Width:            About 4 cm. Shape: Broadly obovate. Apex: Obcordate. Base:            Cuneate. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Texture and            luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            moderately glossy. Color: When opening, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 46A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close            to 46A; venation, close to 46A; color becoming closer to 73A            with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 46A;            venation, close to 46A; color becoming closer to 47A with            development.        -   Petaloids.—Quantity and arrangement: About six at the center            of the flower. Length: About 6 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm.            Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obcordate. Base: Cuneate. Margin:            Entire; moderately undulate. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When            opening, upper surface: Close to 46A. When opening, lower            surface: Close to 46B. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to            46C; venation, close to 46B; color becoming closer to 46A            with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 46A;            venation, close to 46B; color becoming closer to 46C with            development.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About six imbricate sepals            arranged in a shallow cup-shaped calyx. Length: About            1.6 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape: Broadly elliptical.            Apex: Obtuse. Base: Rotund. Margin: Entire. Texture and            luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            leathery; matte. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close            to 145C. When opening, lower surface: Close to 144C. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Aspect:            About 25° to 35° from stem axis. Strength: Strong. Texture            and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower:            About 352. Filament length: About 3.8 cm. Filament color:            Close to 38A. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther size: About 2 mm            by 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 17A. Pollen amount: Scarce.            Pollen color: Close to 17A. Gynoecium: Quantity of pistils            per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.4 cm. Style length:            About 2 cm. Style color: Close to 2C. Stigma color: Close to            2C. Ovary color: Close to 2B.        -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed production have not been            observed on plants of the new Camellia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Camellia have been observed    have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind, full    sunlight and temperatures ranging from about −10° C. to about 40° C.-   Disease & pest resistant: Plants of the new Camellia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Camellia    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant named‘HA351’ as illustrated and described.